Skadi, returning to infinity

Her eyes widened slightly, and then she opened the door and went in first.

An extremely old woman lay on the bed, peacefully closing her eyes.

Next to her was a folded piece of paper covered with densely packed words.

"Auntie... Auntie?... Auntie, sob sob sob..."

When Zhao Yun'er saw Skadi suddenly rush in, she already realized that something might have happened.

Now, seeing the aunt lying motionless on the bed, with only an oil lamp hanging there to illuminate her, I realized...

Looking at the note on the table, the sensible girl immediately understood what it meant.

Without looking at the note, Zhao Yun'er threw herself onto her aunt's body and cried very sadly.

Skadi could only sigh softly as she watched this scene unfold.

She reached out, picked up the paper, slowly unfolded it, looked at the words on it, and read them aloud softly.

"Yun'er, by the time you read this letter, your aunt will already be dead."

“I’ve been buying some medicine from the doctor every month when you’re not home.”

"Those medicines themselves are not very toxic, but when mixed together they become highly poisonous."

"I bought it in several separate transactions, and the doctor didn't think of that."

"So I committed suicide, not because I was killed by anyone. Yun'er, you don't need to take this to heart."

"I know you've been trying to find an opportunity to treat me for the past six months."

"However, the stone disease cannot be cured."

“Your parents didn’t abandon you on purpose. They had lithiasis and didn’t want you to be discriminated against because of them.”

"So I'm entrusting you with taking care of you and trying my best to help you grow up well."

“In previous years, most of our living expenses were sent by your parents.”

"They once said that if you were cured, they would come back for you. If you weren't cured, they would at least create a family where you could live a comfortable life."

environment."

"I've kept in touch with them through letters over the years, and I know their current situation. I know that although their illness hasn't improved, they are trying their best to give you..."

Create a wonderful environment so you don't have to worry about the future.

"However, all of this came to an abrupt end two years ago."

"The letters never came again, and there was no payment for child support."

"They had given us a heads-up a year before this happened. If one day they didn't write or send money, it meant something had happened."

Something unexpected has happened.

“I don’t know what happened. I can only raise you on my own. I want you to be able to leave the village and live in a big city when you are of a suitable age.”

"Yun'er, I'm so sorry, your parents actually gave you a lot of money, but your aunt is reluctant to spend it."

"Apart from buying some food and daily necessities, I'm saving it all up so that when you turn ten, I can send you to the city to study and live."

"That money is for your future use, to help you improve your health, and for your education."

"But my aunt didn't make it to that point; the stone disease caused me extreme pain every day."

"For several months, I can only walk freely for a few days at a time."

“I can see your efforts and know how much you’ve done for me.”

“I know you think you should do these things.”

"But Yun'er, the stone disease is incurable. Rather than suffer indefinitely and be a burden to you, it would be better for you to die."

"That's what I was thinking, so I started preparing four months ago."

“I’ve been looking for an opportunity these past few days. When I saw you leave this morning, I hung an oil lamp here and brewed some medicine for you to drink.”

"Among the letters that were sent to you, there were many from your parents. I didn't open any of them; I kept them all."

"That was something I planned to give you after I sent you to study in the city, so you would know that your parents also love you and have always wanted to..."

You live together.

"Unfortunately, I won't be able to see these things."

"I'm sorry, Yun'er, I can't drag you down with me, I can't let you be discriminated against by the villagers because of me..."

"By the way, all the money I've saved up over the years is in the second box in the cabinet."

"But there's a mechanism inside. Once the box is taken away, the oil lamp will fall down and quickly burn down the house that was previously covered in grease."

"At that time, Auntie's body will also be burned and buried under the ruins of the house, and no one will know that Auntie suffered from lithiasis."

“In this way, Yun’er, you won’t have to worry about Auntie anymore, and I can be free.”

"Remember, Yun'er, leave this village and go live in a new place."

"You're so smart, you'll definitely be able to protect yourself well."

Forgive me for not being able to walk this path with you any further...

"But I will always love you."

After the last line was read aloud, Zhao Yun'er was already sobbing uncontrollably. Her eyes were swollen and red, and her voice was hoarse; she was completely...

Speechless.

Seeing this, Skadi took a deep breath, then took Zhao Yun'er's hand, opened the three drawers of the bedside table, and took out...

Take out all the noodles.

As the box containing the money was picked up, a "click" sound rang out, and then the oil lamp fell directly to the ground.

The wooden walls and furniture, smeared with grease, burst into flame the moment they came into contact with an open flame.

The fire was so intense that it engulfed everything in its path, including the aunt's body.

He forcibly dragged Zhao Yun'er outside, where she looked at the raging fire in front of her.

She could have stopped it, extinguished it, changed it, or even resurrected her dead aunt.

But Skadi is now powerless to do anything.

She could only pull Zhao Yun'er back, her voice hoarse but still unwilling to give up on her attempt to rush into the sea of ​​fire.

Perhaps because the fire was so intense, the villagers rushed over quickly despite the remote location.

Some people were carrying buckets full of water; some were calling out to fetch water to put out the fire, while others were walking towards them, seemingly unaware of what was happening.

I'm quite puzzled.

"Yun'er, do you want to disappoint your aunt?"

Ignoring everyone else, Skadi squatted down next to Zhao Yun'er and reached out to wipe the corner of her eye.

As gentle energy was channeled in, Yun'er's red and swollen eyes began to recover.

Her throat, which had almost prevented her from speaking, had improved, though she was still sobbing.

"Yun'er's aunt committed suicide after leaving a will because she didn't want to implicate Yun'er."

Skadi, seeing that someone who appeared to be the village chief was walking over, spoke first about the reason.

Of course, her voice had a seductive quality that made them believe her.

"Is that so? That's a real shame."

“Yun’er is still so young, her parents are gone, and her aunt is dead.”

"Hey, how are we supposed to get through this?"

"Exactly... But isn't she just unlucky? Why do all her family members have run into trouble..."

"Yeah, they say it was suicide, but who knows if it was actually done by that jinxed guy..."

"Hey, you guys should stop talking."

People around began to gossip, some feigning sighs, some making sarcastic remarks, and some secretly speculating and slandering.

Even those who showed concern for Zhao Yun'er's situation only expressed pity, without any intention of helping her.

Amidst all the voices and words, Skadi discerned only one emotion—indifference.

Let's leave aside those who gossip and frame others for now.

Take those who seem to feel sorry for Zhao Yun'er—if they truly cared about this, Zhao Yun'er wouldn't be in such a predicament now.

Oh no.

Their so-called concern is merely a way to satisfy their vanity; they are not genuinely thinking about Zhao Yun'er at all.

Skadi was somewhat puzzled when Zhao Yun'er previously said that she grew up eating food from many different families.

Because her situation is completely different from growing up "eating from many families".

This question arose after they returned to the village and saw that she was very averse to the people and buildings around her, in addition to her malnutrition.

Skadi immediately understood.

That was a harmless little lie told by a little girl to save face.

Or perhaps it was the harmony of the village that the little girl longed for, and the care and concern everyone had for her, an orphan. p6ny

But in reality, that was just her dream; the situation she encountered was exactly the opposite.

Of course, it's also possible that in this girl's mind, anyone who has helped her before, even if it's expired food or leftovers, is considered a good match by Zhao Yun.

The child still remembered their kindness, which is why he said those things.

But no matter what, Skadi will never let Zhao Yun'er stay here.

Whether she chooses to go to the Tower of Babel with her or stay in the Great Yan, she will give her full support.

This child deserves her sacrifice.

It seemed that due to the excessive grease, even with more than a dozen strong men drawing water from the well to extinguish the fire, it took half an hour to completely extinguish it.

put out.